Chapter 396: Bella
[First World — Two Months Ago.]
[Night Time.]
A fragile circle of flickering warmth was all that kept the oppressive, foreign darkness of Galaxy Fall at bay. A group of five sat huddled around a small, sputtering campfire, their figures casting long, distorted shadows against the jagged rock formations of the wilderness. They were a team thoroughly bruised and pushed to their absolute limits; their low class leather armors were worn out and gashed from claws, their shields were severely dented, and the edges of their blades were visibly cracked.
"What should we do now, Boss?" One of the ladies asked, her voice heavy with physical exhaustion as she tended to a deep gash on her arm. She turned her gaze toward the muscular man leading their ragtag expedition.
The Boss stared deeply into the dying embers of the fire, running a rough hand over his scarred face before finally raising his head to look at the four people sitting before him.
"Our guild took the task from the association. We must hit the black wolf alpha." He said, his deep voice carrying a stubborn, unyielding weight. "We can’t just pull back now."
"But we only have one day left." Bella said, her voice a little shaken as she nervously clutched her wooden staff. She was the only dedicated mage in the entire group, which meant she also shouldered the staggering burden of being their only Healer.
Bella had already repeatedly warned the Leader that this A-rank mission from the Galaxy Association would be a suicidal endeavor for a team of their caliber. But their leader just had to rush forward, driven by desperation. Not to mention, none of them had even reached Level 30 yet, while the elusive Black Wolf Alpha was a deadly Level 30 Boss Monster possessing insane agility and lethal hunting instincts.
"We can still do this?!" The Leader insisted, leans forward as his grip tightened on his knee. "We already know exactly where their hidden hideout is! If we plan carefully and attack again, we will definitely win!! Look, you need to understand, this mission gives a staggering five thousand gold coins! We simply can’t afford to miss out on this opportunity! If we succeed, each one of you will receive one thousand gold coins each!"
The Leader paused, a confident smirk breaking through his exhaustion as he looked around the circle, trying to reignite the fire in their eyes. He continued: